Bobebt e



R E- MERRELL.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-28,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

n ml Attor neys.

R. E. MERRELL.

AUTOMATlC RAILWAY. SWITCH.

ZZZ/W2! Witnesses Attorneys,

ROBERT E. MERRELL, OF SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed October 28, 1915. Serial No. 5 8,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. MERRELL, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Spartanburg, in the county of Spartanburg and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Automatic Railway- Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to railway switches, and aims to provide a novel and improved automatic railway switch.

It is the object of the invention to provide a switch operating mechanism, which permits the switch points to be thrown open and closed either when the train approaches or leaves the switch, and without the necessity of the trainmen leaving the train, the switch mechanism being operated automatically by tripping devices carried by the train.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railway switch mechanism of the nature indicated, which can also be operated manually, when a train is not equipped with the tripping devices, so that the switch can either be operated by the tripping devices or manually as usual.

It is also within the scope ofthe invention to improve the mechanism generally in its construct-ion and details, to enhance the utility and efficiency thereof.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway track illustrating a switch and the switch controlling mechanism, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental plan view of the switch operating means illustrating the cams. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental detail illustrating the connection between one switch point and the switch throwing rod. Figs. 4c, 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged elevations illustrating the various switch operating levers. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail illustrating the adjacent ends of the rods or links connected to one of the cams. Fig. 9 is an'enlarged plan v1ew of the switch stand. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line 1010 of Fig. 9. 'Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation of one of the tripping devices associated with one of the switch operating levers. Fig. 12 is an-v other elevation of the tripping device. Fig. 13 is a fragmental elevation of a locomotive illustrating one of the tripping devices carried thereby. Fig. 14 is a bottom view of a railway car equipped with a pair of the tripping devices at opposite sides thereof.

The track depicted in Fig. 1, embodies the rails 1 and 2, and the side track or siding embodies the rails 3 and 4 extending to the respective rails 1 and 2. The end of the rail 3 has a switch point 5 cooperable with the rail 1, and the rail2 has a switch point 6 opposite the switch point 5 and cooperating with the end of the rail 4, according to prevailing practice.

A transverse switch throwing rod 7 is slidable'through the switch points 5 and 6, and nuts or stops 8 are secured upon said rod against which said switch points rest when they are moved toward the rail 1 under the influence of coiled wire expansion springs 9 disposed between said switch points and collars 10 upon the rod 7. The switch points carry sleeves 11 housing the springs 9. It is evident that the springs 9 will throw the switch points against the stops 8 toward the rail 1, permitting the switch points to be moved by the wheel flanges away from the rail 1.

The rod 7 is extended to one side to a switch stand, and has its respective terminal connected to the lower arm 12 of an upright rock shaft 13 of the switch stand, which is mounted for rotation within the frame or stand proper 14. The shaft 18 has a squared or non-circular portion 15 projecting through an opening 16 in the top of the frame 14. The frame 1 1 is provided at its upper end or top with a radially extending arm 17 projecting slightly downwardly, and to .11 9 pivote a keeper having apertures 19 and 20. The frame 14 is provided at its upper end or top with an outstanding annular flange 21 from which the arm 17 projects, and a circular plate 22 is mounted for rotation upon the frame 14 and is provided at one point of its margin with a down turned hook 24 under the flange 21 to hold the plate 22 in place upon the frame. The plate 23 is provided diametrically opposite the hook 24 with a radially extending arm 25 adapted to overlap the arm 17 and projecting slightly downward. The arm 25 has an open slot 26 for receiving the keeper 18 when it is swung upward, to thereby prevent the rotation of theplate 22. The plate 22 has a central opening 23 through which the shaft 13 extends, and said plate is also provided at the butt end of the arm 25 with upstanding lugs 27 between which is fulcrumed, a hand lever 28 having a slot 28 above the slot26 for receiving the upper or free end of the keeper 18 when it is swung upwardly. The lever 28 projects over the plate 22 and is provided with a depending boss 29 to lit snugly within the opening 23, and said lever 28 has a square or non-circular opening 30 engageable snugly with the upper end of the portion 15 when the lever is swung downwardly upon the plate 22, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 10. WVith the parts disposed as illustrated in Fig. 10, the keeper 18 being released, the lever 28 can be oscillated for rocking the shaft 13, so that the arm 12 thereof moves the rod 7 in one direction or the other, for controlling the switch points accordingly. hen the switch is closed, the arm 25 will be brought above the arm 17, and the keeper 18 can then be swung upwardly into the slot 26, to prevent the plate from being rotated. This will prevent the switch from being operated when the stand is locked, which may be accomplished by applying a padlock P through the aperture 19 above the arm 26 and below the lever 28. The padlock P prevents the keeper 18 from being released, and also prevents the lever 28 from being raised to release it from the portion 15 of the shaft 13. Ordinarily, however, with the present apparatus the shaft 13 is released, so that it can be oscillated when the switch points are thrown by the train controlled devices. Thus, the lever 28 is swung to the dotted line position in Fig. 10, to release the boss 29 from the portion 15, and the padlock P is then applied to the aperture 20 above the lever 28, to hold the lever in released position. The plate 22 and lever 28 are therefore locked to the frame or stand 14, and the reduced circular portion of the shaft 13 which now projects through the opening 30 will not prevent the shaft 13 from being rotated, as is the case when the lever 28 is in the full line position in Fig. 10. Thus, it is possible to lock the lever 28 in released position, so that there will be no lnterference with the proper operation of the switch by the mechanism hereinafter set forth. The switch stand is useful for enabling the switch points to be thrown manually, when a train is not equipped with the tripping devices.

The rod 7 is spring pressed to ordinarily close the switch point 6 against rail 2 and open the switch point 5 from rail 1, and to this end the rod 7 is slidable through a support or bearing 31, and a coiled wire expansion spring 32 is disposed within the support 31 and a collar 33 secured to the rod 7. The support 31 carries a sleeve 34 for housing the spring 32. The spring 32 will ordinarily move the rod 7 to pull the switch point 6 to closed position against rail 2 and to pull the switch point 5 to open position from its rail 1, but the switch can be forced open by the wheel flanges moving from the rail 4 onto the rail 2.

In order that the rod 7 can be operated by the switch operating levers hereinafter described, a cam 35 is secured to a bar 36 connected by means of bolts or rods 37 with one of the rails or other supports adjacent the switch point 6, the rod 7 being slidable through the cam 35. A second circular cam 38 is mounted for rotation upon the rod 7 adjacent the cam 35 to cooperate therewith, said cams having interfitting rounded cam points, and the points on the cam 38 are provided with notches 38 engageable with the points of the cam 35. WVhen the cam 38 is rotated, the points thereof ride upon the points of the cam 35 to move the cam 38, a nut or stop 39 being secured upon the rod 7 adjacent the outer side of the cam 38, r so that when the cam 38 is moved away from the cam 35, the cam 38 in bearing against the nut 39 will move the rod 7 longitudinally to open the switch. WVhen the switch points are so moved, the notches 38 are brought into engagement with the cam points of the cam 35 to hold the cams separated.

The rotatable cam 38 is connected by a rod or link 40 with a distant switch operating lever 41 fulcrumed as at 42'at the outer side of the rail 2 a suitable distance ahead of the switch. The lever 41 is of Y- shape, and is fulcrumed adjacent the crotch portion thereof, the rod 40 being pivoted to the lever 41 below its fulcrum and to the cam 38 below the center thereof. The upper arm of the lever 41 is forked so as to provide the branches 43-44. A second switch operating lever 45 is fulcrumed, as at 46, at the opposite side of the track, or at the outer side of the rail 1 opposite the lever 41. Th lever 45 projects upwardly, and is operatively connected with the lever 41, and to this end a transverse rock shaft 47 is journaled to one of the ties and is pro iii) vided with terminal upstanding arms 48 connected by the links 49 with the levers 41-45, so that the levers 41-45 swing in opposite directions. The cam 38 is also connected by a second rod or link 50 which projects in a direction opposite to the rod 40, to a switch operating lever 51 fulcrumed as at 52 at the outer side of the siding rail 4 at a suitable distance behind the switch. The lever 51 is of Y-shape and is fulcrumed adjacent its crotch portion, the lower arm of the lever 51 being connected by the rod 50 with the cam 38 above the center thereof. The upper arm of the lever 51 has diverging branches 5354. A switch operating lever 55 is disposed opposite the lever 51, and is fulcrumed, as at 56, at the outer side of the main track rail 1. The levers 55 and 51 are operatively connected to swing in opposite directions, and to this end, a transverse rock shaft 57 is carried by one of the cross ties and has terminal upstanding arms 58 connected by the links 59 with the levers Each of the levers 41, 45, 51 and 55 is fulcrumed within a suitable stand or casing 60 secured upon the underlying ties, and provided at its inner side with a horizontal slot 61 near the upper terminal of the respective lever, the ends of said slot being enlarged or flared as at 62, whereby the trip arms of the train can readily pass through the slot 61. The slots 61 are all at the same height above the track The train is preferably equipped with four tripping devices, two at each end at the opposite sides, whereby the switch operating levers -can be properly operated either when the train is approaching or leaving the switch in either direction. Each of these tripping devices, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, embodies a depending bracket 63 attached to the locomotive or car, and slotted to receive a normally depending tripping arm 64 which is fulcrumed to the bracket. The stands 60 are located outside of the paths of the brackets 63, and when the arms 64 are swung outwardly and upwardly, they are arranged to pass through the slots 61 of the stands 60, one of the tripping devices being located at each side of the locomotive or car, so that the levers upon the opposite sides can be operated. The arm 64 has a curved finger 65 at its fulcrum projecting under a cam 66 pivoted to the inner side of the bracket 63, whereby when the cam 66 is swung properly it forces the finger 65 downwardly to raise the arm 64 to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 11. A hook 67 is pivoted to the cam 66 and engages under the finger 65, so that the cam 66 in being returned, will lift the finger 65 to return the arm 64 to pendant position. The cam 66 has an arm 68 to which a rod 69 is connected, for operating the cam 66, The

rod 69 is extended to a suitable point whereby it can be operated by one of the trainmen. The rod 69 is spring pressed to ordinarily restore the tripping device to normal inactive position, and to this end the rod 69 slides through a guide or frame 70, and a coiled wire expansion spring 71 .is disposed between said frame and a collar 7 2 secured upon the rod 69.

Fig. 13 illustrates one of the trip devices carried by one side of a locomotive L, the

rod 69 being extended rearwardly so as to be readily operated by the engineer, it being noted that there is one of the tripping devices on each side of the locomotive.

Fig. 14 illustrates a pair of the tripping devices carried by a car C at the opposite sides thereof, the rod 69 being connected to bell crank levers 73 which are in turn connected by chains 74 with an arm 75 of a shaft 76 carried by one end of the car C and having a hand wheel 7 7, whereby the hand wheel 77 can be rotated for operating either of the trip devices.

In operation, with the switch points 5 and 6 arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1, the switch operating levers are located as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. The switch stand has its lever 28 released, to allow the shaft 13 to rotate freely. A train can now pass in either direction along the main track in the ordinary manner. Supposing a train is approaching the switch from the right hand end of Fig. l, and desires to turn into the siding, the right trip arm is raised so as to engage the branch 43 of the lever 41 as the train approaches the switch. This will swing the lever 41 to pull the rod 40, whereby to rotate the cam 38 so that it moves away from the cam 35, and this forces the rod 7 longitudinally of itself, to open the switch. The train can therefore pass into the siding without one of the trainmen leaving the train and operating the switch.

lVhen the lever 41 is swung as above indicated, the lever 45 is swung from the left to the right, as illustrated in Fig. 7. Now, supposing the first train has entered the siding, and a following train wishes to pass along the main track without entering the siding, the switch point 6 being left open and the switch point 5 being left closed by the first train, one of the trainmen of the second train raises the left hand trip arm so as to swing the lever 45 from the right to the left, as illustrated in Fig. 7. This will rock the shaft 47 to swing the lever 41 to the position illustrated in Fig 5, thereby forcing the rod 40 forwardly and rotating the cam 38 back to normal position, to close the switch. The second train can therefore pass along the main track.

The train which passed into the siding can operate the switch to return the switch points to the normal position illustrated in sition.

Fig. 1, since by operating the right hand trip device at the tail end of the train, the lever 51 can be operated for accomplishing the desired result. Vhen the lever 41 was swung to open the switch the lever 51 was swung to move the branch 53 below the slot 61 and to swing the branch 54; upwardly to project across the slot 61. Now, when the right hand trip arm at the tail end of the train is raised, it engages and swings the branch 51, to swing the lever 51, so that the rod is moved from the left to the right, as viewed in the drawings, which will return the cam 38 to normal po sition, thereby closing the switch so that it will be unnecessary for a following train to operate the switch in order to pass along the main track. hen the train is moving out of the siding onto the main track, the switch point 6 can be moved away from the rail and the switch point 5 can be moved against its rail 1 by raising the respective trip arm to engage the branch 53 of the lever 51, whereby the lever 51 is swung to pull the rod 50 so as to rotate the cam 38 to move it away from the cam 35, as above indicated. At the time that this is done, the lever 11 is swung to swing the branch 43 below the slot 61 and to swing the branch 44- so as to project across the said slot. Then when the train has backed out of the siding onto the main track, the respective switch arm can be raised to engage the branch 44: and swing the lever l1 to again restore the switch to normal closed position. The levers 45 and 55 are for safety purposes, and can be operated both in day time and night time for restoring the switch to normal polVhen the switch is left open, the train moving from the right to the left in Fig. 1, can restore the switch to normal position, as above indicated, and should it be desired to close the switch when a train is passing from the left to the right in Fig. 1 on the main track, the proper trip arm at the head end of the train can be raised to swing the lever 55 from left to right, as viewed in Fig. 6, which will operate the rock shaft 57, lever 51, and rod 50 to rotate the cam 38 so as to close the switch.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the switch may be effectively controlled by the train which approaches or leaves the switch in either direction, and if a train is not equipped with the tripping devices, the brakeman or other trainman can readily operate the switch by means of the switch stand, as above indicated.

The rods 40-50 can be guided along the ties in any suitable manner, and the switch operating levers are protected by the stands or housings so that the levers are not liable to be operated by stray objects.

It is possible, by reversing the spring 32, and by reversing the cams 3,5-38, to nor mally hold the switch point 6 open and the switch point 5 closed, when the rails 3-4 are used as the main line or truck.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a railway switch including switch points, of a manually operable and a train operable mechanism operatively connected to the switch points, the manually operable mechanism including a movable member continually connected with the switch points, a manually operable member engageable with the movable member to move it for throwing the switch points, and means for locking the manually operable member either in or out of engagement with the movable member.

2. The combination with a railway switch including switch points, of a switch stand and a train operable mechanism operatively connected with the switch points, the switch stand embodying a shaft connected to the switch points, and a hand lever mounted for rotation and for movement into and out of engagement with said shaft.

3. The combination with a railway switch including switch points, of a switch stand and a train operable mechanism operatively connected with the switch points, the switch stand embodying a shaft connected to the switch points, a hand lever mounted for rotation and for movement into and out of engagement with said shaft, and means for locking said lever either in or out of engagement with said shaft.

4. The combination with a railway switch including switch points, of a switch stand and a train operable mechanism operatively connected to the switch points, said stand embodying a frame, a rotatable shaft assembled with the frame and operatively connected with the switch points, a rotatable member carried by the frame, a lever fulcruined to said rotatable member to swing into and out of engagement with said shaft, and means for locking said rotatable member to the frame'and for locking said lever either in or out of engagement with said shaft.

5. The combination with a railway switch, of a switch stand and a train operable IIlBChanism operatively connected to the switch, said switch stand embodying a frame, a retatable shaft operatively connected with the switch and having a non-circular portion, a rotatable member carried by the frame and having a slot, a hand lever fulcrumed to said rotatable member and having a non-circular portion engageable with the non-circular portion of said shaft, the lever having a slot coiiperable with the aforesaid slot, and a keeper pivoted to the frame and adapted to be swung into said slots, said keeper having apertures for the engagement of a padlock whereby the rotatable member can be locked to the frame and the lever can be locked either in or out of engagement with the shaft.

6. In a switch operating mechanism, a

' switch throwing rod, a fixed cam through which said rod is slidable, a rotatable cam upon said rod and cooperating with the aforesaid cam, an element carried by said rod against which the second. mentioned 10 cam bears, switch operating means, and a rod connecting said means and second mentioned cam whereby when said means is operated the cam is rotated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I ha. e hereto aifixed my signa- 15 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

